Honda face shortages to limit Aston Martin’s Pre-Season Test runs
20th February 2026Honda has confirmed they have a shortage of power unit parts, which will limit the Aston Martin F1 team to short runs on the final day of testing.
Feature image credit: Aston Martin F1
Friday marks the final testing day of the pre-season before the sport and teams head to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix, but it is going to be a troubled day for the Aston Martin squad.
As cars continue to hit the track, it has been confirmed that the Silverstone-based team will be forced to conduct only short runs on the final day.
Honda released a statement confirming the issue and the short-run-only requirement for the test. They said:
A statement from Honda. pic.twitter.com/egCYXubyFF
— Honda Racing F1 (@HondaRacingF1) February 20, 2026
“Our last run with Fernando Alonso yesterday showed a battery-related issue that impacted our test plan with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team.
“Since then, we have been carrying out simulations on the test bench in HRC Sakura.
“Due to this and the shortage of power unit parts, we have adapted today’s run plan to be very limited and consist only of short stints.”
This follows a variety of problems for the squad throughout the pre-season tests, including the Barcelona shakedown. A problematic start to Aston’s new relationship with their works power unit manufacturer.
Yesterday, Fernando Alonso was forced to stop out on track during the afternoon test in his Honda-powered AMR26 due to a power unit failure.
The mechanics, who came to collect the stricken car, were forced to wear insulated gloves to protect themselves from any electrical problem as they worked to return the car to their garage.
Today is the final day of testing in Bahrain, and the start of the championship will finally get underway in a fortnight, at Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia.
Read more Formula 1 here:
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- Oscar Piastri pips Leclerc to fastest time in afternoon of Day 1 test
- Charles Leclerc tops morning test on Day 1 in Bahrain
- F1 confirms circuit extension with calendar rotation
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
